UF IFAS Sumter County Master Gardeners

10/10/2026

It’s Native Plant Month and this is an excellent time to plant native wildflowers.

This guide includes over 120 Florida native wildflowers, shrubs, vines and grasses that work well in home landscapes.

10/01/2026

October 2026. It used to be the 8th month before the calendar changed—over 2000 years ago. The month symbolizes wealth, peace, prosperity and fertility. For Floridians, it means fertile planting; our hottest season is finally over! And it is a good time of the year, as we still have a lot of rain to grow those seeds.
Hopefully, you finished fertilizing your lawn and garden. And now you can plant spinach, carrots and strawberries to add to those salad “fixins” you planted in September. (Or you can plant them now.) They included tomatoes, cukes, celery, radishes and lettuce. “Let us” be kind. “Let us” be faithful. And especially, “let us” gardeners be patient...

09/14/2026

https://gardeningsolutions.ifas.ufl.edu/plants/edibles/vegetables/lettuce/

Lettuce is a widely loved leafy vegetable in the sunflower family (Asteraceae), starring in many fresh salads and sandwiches across the country. It’s also the second-most grown vegetable in the United States, just behind potatoes. Here in Florida, we rank as the third-largest producer of lettuce i...

09/05/2026

September 2026. September was once the 7th month. The early Roman calendar had only 10 months from March to December. It was named after the emperor Sebtemberus Severus. The months were changed to 12 around 713 BCE, and January and February were added.

Many vegetables can be planted now: beans, cabbage, cukes, kale, onions, peppers, tomatoes and peas. If you plant 3 rows of peas, it is said that you will have peas of mind, peas of heart and peas of soul.

08/28/2026

Free event sponsored by Lake County Master Gardeners.

https://sfyl.ifas.ufl.edu/lake/ffl/fall-festival-2026/?fbclid=Iwc3NjcAT-ZMhwZG9mBWZkaWQWUNWmHBWc00CpPu_5hzWWx_NqW0JbeWV4dG4DYWVtAjExAHNydGMGYXBwX2lkCjY2Mjg1NjgzNzkAAR6oXOWJYKdLWR9pmWpGxPPGU2hUIEso0uPhqIBThLap3NK_1cVZpzSYaROuuQ_aem_B5pqLaKIpSuBstZTPrd0MQ

UF/IFAS Extension Lake County is a partnership between State, Federal, and County governments for the purpose of providing scientific knowledge and expertise to the public.

08/17/2026

Pollinator Plants for a Naturalized Lawn

Weeds are considered by UF/IFAS to be plants out of place, but what if some weeds residing in your lawn are exactly where they need to be? There are certain flowering weedy plants that attract pollinators, increase the biodiversity of your lawn and reduce maintenance needs. These “lawn companions....

08/01/2026

Veggie Ventures: August Thatch & Fall Prep -

  When I purchased this book, I expected a chatty travelogue exploring the interesting flora and fauna that take over abandoned or poorly maintained industrial and commercial sites, a reassuring tale of how nature eventually prevails over obsolete human constructions. We have seen evidence in rever...

07/29/2026

August is named after Augustus Caesar. The word itself means venerable or majestic. I don’t think of the month being venerable or majestic during our Florida summers. It is just too hot and rainy—usually in our evenings. But if you like vegetables, you can start to plant some. These include pole beans, broccoli, celery, collards, corn, eggplant, okra, onions,
peas, peppers and squash. You can start tomatoes from seed (it will take 6 weeks to 2 months to grow), but note most don’t like hot weather except cherry and grape tomatoes.

07/16/2026

Learning about gopher tortoises is one of the best ways to appreciate and protect them. Here are a few fascinating facts that show why these remarkable animals are so important to their ecosystems.

Gopher tortoises have been around for millions of years, but today they are a threatened species in Florida and several other states. Their imperiled status means that these tortoises are protected by state law and must be left alone. The major issue facing these gentle and important creatures is th...

07/04/2026